Twin feed fertilizer spreader



y 1954 s. E. WALDORF ET AL TWIN FEED FERTILIZER SPREADER Filed Dec. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Samuel EWa/a'orfand y Lloyd G. Hop 02s.

A TTORNEYS.

July 1954 s. E. WALDORF ETAL TWIN FEED FERTILIZER SPREADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1951 IN FNTOR Samue/ E. Wafaorfana' 5y Lioyd G HOP/76S. Wm

ATTORNEYS m w I .M.

a .II x, 11 3 n y 1954 s. E. WALDORF ET AL 8 TWIN FEED FERTILIZER SPREADER Filed Dec. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

Samuel E Waldorf and BY L/oyc/ G. Hoppes.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 27, 1954 TWIN FEED FERTILIZER SPREADER Samuel E. Waldorf, Wichita, and Lloyd G. Hoppes, Hazelton, Kans, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Lester Wilkinson, Wichita, Kans, as trustee Application December 17, 1951, Serial No. 262,032

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for spreading commercial fertilizer or the like.

The principal object of the present invention is spreading of fertilizer commercially over large areas.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, we have provided improved to provide a fertilizer spreader having twin hopdetails of structure, the preferred form of which pers for containing a different character of feris illustrated in the accompanying drawings, tilizer in each thereof and having mechanism for wherein: dispensing the fertilizer from each hopper simul- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the taneously or selectively and in varying amounts, driving mechanism of our invention. one relative to the other. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on a line Other objects of the present invention are to 22, Fig. 4, illustrating the driving mechanism of provide a wheel borne frame with twin hoppers the device. thereon, the outside of the hoppers having down- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on wardly and inwardly facing sides and the center a line 33, Fig. 2, particularly illustrating the of the hoppers being provided by straight partiauger in one of the hoppers and the auger in one tions part way to the bottom thereof, but both of the housings. hoppers terminating in a curved bottom having Fig. 4 is a top plan, fragmentary view of our spaced openings longitudinally thereof and havinvention, particularly illustrating the augers in ing shafts mounted longitudinally of the hoppers the hoppers with adjacent sections of the flights provided with a plurality of oppositely threaded thereof threaded in opposite directions on the spiral augers having the ends of some of the shaft. flights terminating over the spaced openings and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the other ends of the flights terminating intermediate top auger. thereof whereby the terminating edges of said Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the flights will contact any lumps appearing in the lower auger. fertilizer and crush the same against the tapered Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken walls of the hoppers; to provide the shaft in the on a line 1T, Fig. 3, particularly illustrating the hoppers with oppositely threaded flights arranged end of the flights on the top augers engaging a relatively to the openings whereby rotation of lump of fertilizer and crushing it. the shaft effects feed of fertilizer toward the re- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevational View, spective openings from each side thereof; to pro particularly illustrating the selective driving vide longitudinal cylindrical housings below said mechanism. hoppers having shafts rotatably mounted there- Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on a line in provided with oppositely threaded spiral augers 9-9, Fig. 3, also illustrating the driving mechawith the ends of some of th flights terminating mm f r oper in a i l pp r. over the openings in the bottom of said housing er ng o e i deta l to e d aw and the other ends of said flights terminating I designatesaferiilizer sp r emb y n he substantially under the openings in the hoppers featult/s f Ou ention having aframe 2 upfor moving the fertilizer in opposite directions on Whlch 15 mounted b bea'l'mgs 3 and 4 from said hopper openings, said flights metering 40 for axles 5 a 6 for m91fmt1ng of Whaels 1 and a and forcing the fertilizer in regulating amounts for supporting the fertmzer Spreader Mounted through the openings in the housing; to provide on the ends 9 of the frame by suitable means are driving connection of sa d shafts with the axle pans of Spaced bracket? and l2 !3 The Shafts of the Wheels of Said apnamt1 s t brackets are identical In structure and are pro- A 0 vided at their upper ends with flanges M and infor lgdependelit reglllatmn of Speed of 9 wardly directed flanges 15 (Fig. 1) for supporttmn of Sam Shafts m Sam hl and liwusmgs ing hoppers l6 and W and housings i3 and I9 as to regulate the feed of fertilizer from said houspresently described ing? to provide means for Operating the mecha The inwardly directed flanges IE on the bracknism in one of the hoppers and housing without ets are cylindrical in shape as indicated at 20 operating the mechanism in the other hopper and housing; to provide such mechanism with means for rotating said augers in the hoppers and housings in the opposite direction; and to provide a device of this character especially adapted for (Fig. I) and have upwardly and outwardly extending portions 2! to which the housings l8 and I9 and hoppers I6 and I1 are secured. The housings I 8 and [9 are substantially cylindrical in shape and their ends engage in the cylindrical flanges l5 of the brackets, as indicated at 22 (Fig. 3). The upper portions of the walls of the cylindrical housings are spaced apart as indicated at 23 (Fig. (3) and the walls turn sharply upwardly and outwardly forming shoulders 24 at the respective upper sides of the housing.

The hoppers l6 and H are connected with the upwardly directed flanges of the brackets by bolts or the like 25. The hoppers comprise outer side walls 25 and 2': and ends 28 and 29. A top 30 is provided for the hoppers and hingedly con nects thereto as is the usual practice. A partition 3| divides the two hoppers and extends downwardly forming inner side walls 32 and 33 providing inner walls for the respective hopper The outer sides 28 and 2! of the hoppers are tapered downwardly as indicated at 3 and 35 (Figs. 2 and 9), terminating in curved bottoms 35 and 37 which extend upwardly forming the walls 32 and 33 of the partition M. The curved bottoms as and 3'? are provided with a plurality of spaced openings 38 longitudinally of said bottoms and opening into the housings l8 and as. Formed integrally with the housings it and it above the shoulders 20 are extensions 39 and ill forming side portions extending alongside the lower portions of the tapered outer sides 35; and 35 and tapered inner sides 33 and ill of the respective hoppers to strengthen said portions of the hoppers.

The housings l8 and iii are provided in their bottoms with a plurality of openings Ila longitudinally of said housings and in staggered relation with the openings 38 in the hoppers for a purpose later described. Circling the openings 45 and mounted on the walls of the housings by welding or other suitable means are short spouts A5 adapted to receive flexible chutes or the like (not shown) for depositing the fertilizer in the s01 The brackets lt-lZ and Hl3 are provided with suitable bearings as indicated at ill and l'l' (Fig. 3) and mounted therein are shafts 2-8 and i9 extending longitudinally of the bottom of the hoppers but spaced therefrom as best illustrated in Fig. '7. Mounted on the shafts 8 and 35 is a plurality of auger screw sections 51!, and as the auger sections on each shaft are identical only one will be referred to.

Each auger section has its flights or spirals terminating in substantially straight edges E i and the flights are oppositely threaded so that said straight edges 5% of a pair of flights will termi nate over the respective openings 38 in the bottom of said hoppers for feeding, of the fertilizer materialin the hoppers from both sides to said openings. The respective auger sections are so situated. on the shafts 4B and 49 that the straight edges 5| will alternate in reaching the openings 38 so that a continuous feed will be provided to said openings. The respective auger sections are of a length to also terminate midway between the openings 38 so that should there be any lumps in the fertilizer material, the straight edges 51 will contact such lump as indicated at 52, (Fig. 7) and crush the same against the tapered walls as and 43 of the hoppers as best illustrated in Fig. 7. The augers crush the material as best illustrated at 53 so that the crushed material is then picked up by the adjacent augers and delivered to the next opening where it is fed to the cylindrical housings is and i9. The peripheral edges of the flights also aid in the crushing and grinding of the lumps.

Suitable bearings Mend-55 are provided in the lower portions of the brackets l0-H and i2--l3 for mounting of shafts 56 and 51 longitudinally of the housings i8 and i9 and mounted on said shafts is a plurality of auger screw sections 58 terminating in straight edges 59 and t!) (Fig. 5) as in the upper auger section arrangement, the terminating straight edge 58 extends substantially midway of the openings ill in the housings and the angers are oppositely faced so that the material in the housings is fed from both directions to the openings, the terminating points being alternated so that a continuous flow of the material is provided to the openings upon rotation of the shafts.

It will be noted that in the auger arrangement in the hoppers the flights of the angers 56 are a substantial distance apart to receive the material and provide for terminatingpoints 5i for crushing and grinding the material in the hoppers, whereas in the cylindrical housing the flights of the angers are closer together and they extend substantially three complete revolutions of the shafts, but the outer of oppositely threaded section terminates over an opening in the bottom of the housing the same as in the upper auger section arrr -gement. The upper and lower auger sections such that the upper augers move more fertilizer in one revolution than the lower augers, and thereby provides agitation in the hopper. The lower angers meter the fertilizer delivered.

The frame 2 of the device extends forwardly of the hopper as strated in 1. l and mounted on the forward portion of the frame of the ree ends thereof are jack shafts 63 upon sprockets 333 are mounted over which chains run to driving sprockets on the axles E As the identical driving mechanism is provided at each end of the device, only one will be described.

Spaced brackets 85 and G8 are mounted on the lower portion the frame 2 and extend upwa y for mounting of a short 5? provided sprocket $8 accomniodatin a chain 69 leading to a sprocket ill on the jack shaft iii. The shaft 56 extending through the housing 18 extends outwardly from the respective ends of the brackets H and i3, and mounted upon t e out end thereof is a sprocket 7i accornmoda g chain 3'2 leading to a sprocket wheel or gear '23 mounted upon the short shaft The ends of the shaft at in the hopper it also extend outwardly from the brackets it and i3 and mounted on the respective shafts se and are spur gears 1 and meshing with each other.

The shaft 5'! extending through the housing it extends outwardly from the respective ends of the brackets ill and 42, but are of a shorter length the shaft 56 extending through the housing l8 as illustrated in Fig. 4, and mount-e upon the outer ends thereof is a sprocket l'l accommodating a chain F8 leading to a sprocket wheel or gear 19 mounted upon the short shaft El adjacent the gear '53. The gear ":9 may be loosely mounted on the shaft Si or tightened thereon by a set screw as for a purpose later described. The chain ll? also runsover a tightening gear or sprocket 8i mounted on the lower end of a lever 32 pivotally mounted upon the rear leg 83 of the bracket 65 as indicated at 8 5 (Fig. 1). The chain 18 also engages a sprocket 35 which is loosely mounted on the outer end of shaft 6! or may be ightened on said shaft by set scr 86 also for a purpose later described. The ends of the shaft 49 in the hopper 57: also extend outwardly from the brackets It and i2 and mounted on the respective shafts 49 and Si are spur gears 8'! and 88 meshing with each other.

The framework structure includes forwardly extending brace members 96 and. mounted on the forward ends thereof is a suitable connection (not shown) for a tractor or the like (also not shown) for propl'lling the device over the ground.

Operation of the fertilizer spreader constructed and assembled as described is as follows.

The desired quantity of fertilizer material 9! is placed in the hoppers l6 and I? and movement of the device over the ground will cause the drive mechanism on the axle shafts to rotate the sprockets t4; and through chain connection 63 with the larger sprocket 62 on the jack shaft 6| having connection with the larger sprocket 68 through chain to and sprocket it will rotate the short shaft til, and the chain connection l2 with the smaller sprocket on the short shaft will cause the larger sprocket H on the shaft 56 to rotate and cause the spur gear F5 to mesh with spur gear i l to rotate such gear on the shaft 48.

It will be noted that the auger in the housing It! will be operated in an anticlockwise direction, whereas the auger in the hopper IE will operate in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2).

The operation thus far described dispenses the fertilizer from the forward hopper it of the de vice. To dispense material from both hoppers simultaneously, operation of the drive mecha nism as above described will cause the shaft 5! through its driving gear 032 to rotate turning sprocket 85 on the outer end thereof, which is tightened thereon, and through chain connection 18 with sprocket 19 on the short shaft through connection with sprockets ii on the shaft 5? extending through the housing is to rotate and cause the spur gear at to mesh with spur gear 8? to rotate said gear on the shaft 577.

It will be noted that the auger in the housing l9 will be operated in an anticlockwise direction, whereas the auger in the hopper i! will operate in a clockwise direction, the same as in the forward housing. It will also be noted that when sprocket 85 is tightened on shaft iii the sprocket 19 on short shaft 6? will be loosely mounted thereon and vice versa depending upon the rat de sired for rotation of the sprocket '58 and feed of material from the hopper ll.

Rotation of the augers in the hoppers will feed the material through the openings 36 to the housings i8 and i9 and, as above stated, the ends of the flights terminate over such openings, and the straight edges 55 and 5f of the auger sections will crush th material against the side of the hoppers so that it will be fed through the openings 38, The openings 45 in the housings are in staggered relation to the openings 3% in the hoppers. The auger sections in the housings will pick the material up and take it in both. directions until it reaches the openings d5 in the housings to feed it through the spouts 36 and flexible chutes to the soil as desired.

The straight edges of the nights of the augers in the housings extend midway over such openings, and the ends of facing flights alternate in reaching such openings so that the continued feed of the material will. be supplied to such openings. The housings are kept substantially full of material and rotation of the augers therein will cause the material to be ground against the shoulders 24 at the upper edges of the housings to further pulverize the material therein so that it will be fed through the openings.

The gear arrangement is such that the augers in the hoppers l6 and I1 rotate at a slower rate than the augers in the housings i8 and is. The openings 38 in the hoppers are substantially smaller than the openings in the housings, the flights being spaced farther apart in the hoppers, thus having a longer lead and the material will be fed to the housing at a faster rate of speed so as to keep the housings substantially full at all times. Should one of the openings in the hoppers become clogged, there will be enough material fed through the other openings to maintain sufficient fertilizer in the housings, so that a continuous flow of the material will be provided through the openings in the housings.

The jack shaft El is provided with different sized sprockets as indicated at Q2 and 93, so that the chain 69 may be run to such sprockets to regulate the speed of the augers to regulate the amount of fertilizer material to be fed to the soil from the hoppers.

The rate of flow of fertilizer from the hopper ll may be further regulated by use of either the sprockets or 19. When the sprocket 85 is tightened on shaft BI and the sprocket i9 is loosened on shaft 67, rate of flow of fertilizer from the hopper ll will be greater because the sprocket 35 is directly driven from sprocket 52. By loosening of the sprocket 85 and tightening of the sprocket 79, a slower rate of flow of fertilizer will be fed to the soil, because the difference in rate of rotation of shafts GI and 67!. Thus it will be obvious thatdiiferent kinds of fertilizer may be used in the respective hoppers l6 and I1 and the rate of flow of such fertilizer from the respective hoppers simultaneously may be effected.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 1 that fertilizer may be dispensed from the forward hopper only. This can be accomplished by operation of lever 82 to disengage sprocket 81 from chain 18, and removal of such chain from the sprockets 19, ll and 85 respectively.

The jack shaft is also provided with clutch mechanism as indicated at M (Fig. 8) for throwing the feed mechanism out of gear when the device is not in use and for transportation.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fertilizer distributing apparatus comprising, a pair of hoppers in side by side relation having downwardly tapered sides terminating in downwardly curved bottoms, said bottoms having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings, substantially cylindrical shaped housings extending longitudinally under the bottoms of said hoppers and in communication therewith through the openings in the bottoms of said hoppers, said housings having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in the bottoms thereof in staggered relation to the openings in the bottoms of the hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in the hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on said shafts, the ends of each auger screw section terminating in substantially straight edges and one end of each section terminating over the openings in said hoppers and in staggered relation with each other, the opposite ends of said sections terminating substantially midway between said openings, the substantially straight edges of said sections being so arranged as to contact and crush lumps of material against the sides of said hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in said housings below said hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on the shafts in said housings, the ends of each auger screw section terminating over the openings in said housings and in staggered relation with each other, and means for rotating the upper and lower auger sections in one hopper housing independently of the other hopper and housing to thereby control the relative rates at which fertilizer is discharged from said hoppers and housings.

2. A fertilizer distributing apparatus comprising, a pair of hoppers in side by side relation having downwardly tapered sides terminating in downwardly curved bottoms, said bottoms having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings, substantially cylindrical shaped housings extending longitudinally under the bottoms of said hoppers and in communication therewith through the openings in the bottoms of said hoppers, said housings having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in the bottoms thereof in staggered relation to the openings in the bottoms of said hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in the hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on said shafts, the ends of each auger screw section terminating in substantially straight edges and one end of each section terminating over the openings in said hoppers and in staggered relation with each other, the opposite ends of said sections terminating substantially midway between said openings, the substantially straight edges of said sections being so arranged as to contact and crush lumps of material against the sides or" said hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in said housings below said hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on the shafts in said housings, the ends of each auger screw section terminating over the openings in said housings and in staggered relation with each other, and means for rotating the auger sections of one hopper and housing at a different rate of speed from the auger sections in the other hopper and housing to regulate the rate of feed of fertilizer from the respective hoppers and housings.

3. A fertilizer distributing apparatus comprising, hoppers extending parallel to each other having downwardly tapered sides terminating in downwardl curved bottoms, said bottoms having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings,

substantially cylindrical shaped housings extending longitudinall under the bottoms of said hoppers, said housings having their free ends turned upwardly at angles and a longitudinal opening extending over the openings in bottom of said hoppers, said housings having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in the bottoms thereof in staggered relation to the openings in the bottoms of said hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in the hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on said shafts, the ends of each auger screw section terminating in substantially stl aight edges and one end of each section terminating over the openings in hoppers and staggered relation with each other, the opposite ends or" said sections terminating substantially midway between said openings, the substantially straight edges of said ections being so arranged as to contact and crush lumps of material against the sides of said hoppers, shafts rotatably mounted in said housings below said hoppers, a plurality of oppositely threaded auger screw sections mounted on the shafts in said housings, the ends or each auger screw section terminating over the openings in said housings and in staggered relation with each other, said auger screw sections bein of a diameter in transverse cross section corresponding substantially to the inner diameter of said housings means for rotating the upper and lower auger sections in each hopper and housing, the lower auger screws rotating at a slightly greater speed than the upper auger screws and the upper screws having longer leads to move the fertilizer faster than the lower augers to keep the housings substantially full, and means for rotating said shafts in each hopper and housing at different speed than the shafts in the other hopper and housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 905,395 West Dec. 1, 1908 2,193,373 Munro Mar. 12, 1940 2,522,693 Stiteler Sept. 19, 1950 2,59%,687 Scott Apr. 29, 1952 2,596,898 Hoppes May 13, 1952 

